Two astronauts may have to wait until 2025 to return from the International Space Station (ISS), NASA officials have announced.

Published

12 months ago

August 9, 2024

The Boeing Starliner capsule, which sent them into orbit at the beginning of June, is currently unable to return them safely to Earth. The American agency could therefore call on Elon Musk and his company SpaceX, but if Starliner cannot make it back from the ISS, the duo could possibly return on SpaceX’s Crew Dragon in February 2025.

“We could take either path,” Ken Bowersox, the associate administrator for NASA’s space operations mission directorate, said. “And reasonable people could pick either path depending on where their view is on, on our position and the uncertainty bound that we have for the data that we’ve got on the thruster system, on the propulsion system.”

According to Fox16, Starliner launched its test crew mission on June 5, after a series of delays caused by leaks and thruster issues. This marked the first time the company launched a crewed mission to space.

While trying to dock at the ISS in June, five of the 28 thrusters went down. The mission was initially supposed to last about 8 days, but there is still no official return date for Wiliams and Wilmore after the issues.

NASA said that they have been in talks with SpaceX for them to leave two vacant seats on their upcoming Crew Dragon launch in September, setting them up for a possible return next year. NASA’s commercial crew program manager Steve Stich said the best option is still to return the astronauts on the Starliner.

“You know, our prime option is to return Butch and Suni on Starliner,” Stich said. “However, we have done the requisite planning to make sure we have other options open, and so we have been working with SpaceX to ensure that they’re ready to respond on Crew Nine for a contingency of returning a Butch and Suni on Crew Nine, if we need that.”

“We have set up the Dragon for Crew Nine to have flexibility, to have only two passengers fly up on that flight, and then we could return four crew members in the February 2025, timeframe,” he added.

Fish Magnet: Six Arrested in Connection with Killing of Fish Vendor

Published

15 hours ago

August 2, 2025

Ekwutos Blog

The tragic incident that unfolded in the fishing community, where a fish vendor, known as “Fish Magnet,” was allegedly killed.

According recent report from one of our correspondent with Ekwutosblog the motive behind the killing was the victim’s alleged role in crashing the price of fish in the market.

Six boys have been arrested in connection with the killing of the fish vendor.

The suspects, who are also fish vendors, claimed that the victim’s pricing strategy was affecting their business.

Authorities are currently investigating the incident, and further details are awaited.

The incident has sent shockwaves through the fishing community, with many expressing concern about the violence and its impact on the market.

The incident has sparked calls for authorities to take action to prevent similar incidents in the future and ensure the safety of vendors.

Kano man jailed for burning tyres, violating environmental laws

Published

20 hours ago

August 2, 2025

Ekwutos Blog

A man identified as Ibrahim Abubakar has been sentenced to three months in prison by a Magistrate Court in Kano for burning car tyres and polluting the environment.

The Kano State Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, through its lawyer Barista Bahijjah H. Aliyu, took Abubakar to court after he was caught breaking environmental and public health laws.

Police officers on patrol in the Tukuntawa Gidan Radio area arrested Abubakar while he was burning tyres; an act that produces dangerous smoke and harmful to people’s health.

The case followed complaints from residents of the area.

In response, the Director of Pollution Control in the ministry, Ibrahim Nasir, led a team to investigate the matter. The ministry then took the case to court.

During the court session, the prosecutor presented strong evidence showing the health risks caused by burning of tyres.

The judge, Auwalu Yusuf, found Abubakar guilty and gave him an option of either paying a fine or serving three months in prison.

Five convicted for fraud in Gombe, ordered to repay over ₦2.9 Million

Published

20 hours ago

August 2, 2025

Ekwutos Blog

Gombe State High Court under Justices H.H. Kereng and Abdulhamid Yakubu have convicted and sentenced five individuals for various internet-related frauds between July 29 and 30, 2025.

The convicts — Illiyasu Mohammed, Dan Musa, Elisha Elkana, Nasiru Mohammed, and Saidu Mohammed Laddo — were arraigned by the Gombe Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on separate charges of cheating and impersonation.

Mohammed and Musa, charged before Justice Kereng, were convicted of impersonation and cheating and each received six months’ imprisonment or an option of ₦50,000 fine.

Before Justice Yakubu, Elkana was found guilty of fraud involving ₦300,000 meant for debt repayment. He was sentenced to 12 months in prison or a ₦30,000 fine.

Nasiru Mohammed and Saidu Laddo, who defrauded a victim of ₦2.62 million under the guise of securing jobs at the Nigeria Immigration Service, were sentenced to two years’ imprisonment or a fine of ₦100,000 each.

Additionally, the courts ordered the convicts to restitute the total sum of ₦2,920,000 to their victims and forfeit two mobile phones — a Samsung S8 and a Tecno Camon 16 — used in perpetrating the crimes to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

Their arrest and eventual conviction followed investigations by the EFCC into internet fraud activities in the state.